Newbie here - What do you think of this tractor?

[louislinus]

We are about to have our first foray into the world of hen tending and are hoping to buy a coop off CL. I found this one http://cleveland.craigslist.org/grd/2376019526.html. What do you think? Good for the price? Also, and this might be a stupid question, can I keep them in a tractor like this during the winter? Our winters here in northeast Ohio can be quite harsh. Lastly, we plan on starting with 4 hens and at the most would have 6. He says it's big enough for 10 but I'm unsure.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

[swatskee]

Hey there, It looks functional however I wouldn't think it will hold 6 chickens... I'm in Cleveland too BTW.

Good luck! You can see all my info on my blog link below.

 

[louislinus]

Thanks Sean. Yea it seems small to me too. crap.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Definitely not big enough for 10 chickens...nor for 6 in my opinion. And during a harsh winter, one in which they might want to spend more time within the coop, definitely not enough room. However, this would be a great tractor in the good weather to move your birds around the property for controlled foraging.

 

[NonnasBabies]

Yay Chicks! :

Definitely not big enough for 10 chickens...nor for 6 in my opinion. And during a harsh winter, one in which they might want to spend more time within the coop, definitely not enough room. However, this would be a great tractor in the good weather to move your birds around the property for controlled foraging.

I agree. Looks like it would hold 3 comfortably.

BTW

 

[Noymira]

That looks a bit small for up to 10 chickens. I bought a tractor kind of similar to that one with 2 hens, I wouldn't put more than 3-4 at the most in mine. Here's what I bought for $100.

The construction looks pretty good on the one you are checking out, although if that's chicken wire you might want something stronger over it for reinforcement.

I think you could make it work for winter, but I wouldn't use it like that in the winter myself. My main concern about winter is with the door so low to the ground it would get buried in snow. Maybe if you set it up on cinder blocks for the winter and the coop has a bottom that would get them up out of the snow and maybe give space under the coop as well. I might even cover the existing run with something to keep the snow off so they could use the whole space in the winter. You could always make a larger movable run to attach and give you more space.

Just some things I would think about- but my experience is limited, so hopefully some more experienced members will have some advice too.

 

[greenpeeps]

I agree, a little to small for 10 lg chickens. If you covered the run with plastic it would work great in the winter.

 

[swatskee]

Quote:
I may know where to get pallets and scrap wood for you if you're interested? Locally - FYI.

Pallets, and 1x4's ( 24 & 36").